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Well the government shutdown is over and thankfully our public servants can return to work. This wasn’t the kind of workplace blip because of a change in career or starting a business. This was a standstill that was out of their control. It’s wild how some elected officials try to take credit for them going back to work.

Then there’s the Kanye West lawsuit recently claiming he was the reason for the successful rebooting of Jay-Z’s career. But a more exciting story is the Big Brother TV appearance by Tamar Braxton and SAG Awards appearance by Geoffrey Owens. They’re getting lots of love from fans for their comeback stories.

Braxton and Owens get real about passion, pain, fame as they rebound in their careers. For Braxton it’s about doing a brand reset from her time on the daytime TV show The Real. For Owens it’s more like a career reboot, after working at a food retail chain to make ends meet when his acting gigs dried up.

They’ve been through some moments that brought pain along the way. But even through those times they kept thinking about their passion for music and acting. They know how fame can have a way of ‘spitting you out’ from pop culture circles. But now they’re ready for their Act II as they refresh their showbiz feed.

Owens was part of a SAG Awards feature by sharing highlights from his career story. He ended his comments with the words ‘I am an Actor!” If Braxton had to do something similar, she’d probably end with the words “I am an Entertain-her.” Their advice on career reboot or brand reset might also include:

Create your lane

Braxton started out in the music business with her sisters before becoming a solo artist. She’s part of the Braxton Family Values reality show and even had a spinoff with her own show. Her success has meant being creative in a certain lane. And when there’s room to grow, going further by creating her own lane.

Concentrate your skills

Owens spent time in the shadows of Hollywood when he had no roles. But as things went viral after being spotted working at a food store, he’s now in a different place. Acting gigs started opening up with a recurring role on a Tyler Perry produced show. So he’s able to concentrate his skills and pay the bills.

Collaborate your efforts

Her music career is on the comeback with a new album release on the way. Part of what she might have learned from her time at The Real is how to collaborate her efforts. Even as a solo artist she still has to work with producers, promoters and influencers. That’ll help her project go from studio grade to platinum.

Circulate your work

Owens might have agreed to do the Sag Awards feature to show appreciation for getting a second chance. But it might also be a good place to circulate his work. Meantime, Braxton’s appearance on Big Brother gives her the chance to do the same. She’s got fans voting for her in the publicist challenge.

Even in business the idea of a reboot, reset or refresh happens when companies says they’re ready for a do-over. Braxton and Owens are doing what it takes to keep the comeback wheels turning. They’ll have a new attitude and passion at work. They’ll be networking with peers and putting the career pieces together.

Tip: When you’re creative in your lane it opens the door for creating your own lane and taking things to the next level.

Talkback: Who’s ready to give Braxton and Owens credit for their brand reset and career reboot?

No more drama! No more Madea? If fans had to choose they might say ‘No more drama for $200’ as Tyler Perry says he’s retiring the Madea character. It might be easier for them getting rid of the drama in life than for seeing the end of Madea. But at least Perry threw-in the fact that their layaway got pre-paid.

More Family Feud! More Little Big Shots! That’d be no-brainer for Steve Harvey. He’s set to host an upcoming holiday special where kids get to say and do their talent thing. While Perry and Harvey enjoy doing those projects, they know that in showbiz you gotta find ways to reinvent yourself.

In their work, they deliver a dose of laughs on stage and a drop of reality off stage. Even if it doesn’t get everybody excited for the holidays it might get some fans juiced-up for the new year. Either way, there’s enough good times and good vibes that can take us into next year for going from pre-lit to major hit.

Harvey says his wife loves to decorate for the season. Whether that means going with a pre-lit tree or starting from scratch is anyone’s guess. But the path we take to being fully-lit personally & professionally means embracing the things in life that come pre-lit: gifts, talents, calling, purpose, passion and dreams.

Perry and Harvey might explain in their tweetable moments that they’ve done the same in their careers. The holiday trees at home and across the country get to standout by adding some decorations. A good mix of ornaments, ribbons, tinsel and a tree-topper. So, success in going from pre-lit to major hit takes:

Skill

While talent is something that usually comes naturally, skill is doing it with your eyes closed. Perry and Harvey spent years developing their skill by turning an ability into a capability. While talent gives us the ability to shine, skill gives us the capability to elevate things that come naturally to a level of superiority.

Smarts

Harvey jokes about how his new beard has made him look and feel smarter. Well at least in the eyes of his grandkids. They keep quizzing him and he keeps answering. The smarts that makes folks lit professionally comes with more knowledge (as in book-smarts) and insight (as in street-smarts).

Social

Perry was a recent presenter at an event honoring the legacy of Nelson Mandela. You remember, it’s where Beyoncé graced the stage like an African goddess. What he’s doing by supporting everyday lives at home and abroad shows a level of care and influence that brings social impact.

Soul

Perry and Harvey give props to the God-side in them reaching new heights. Sometimes the things that hold us back are tied to F.E.A.R. – a case of ‘Fool’s Error Acting Ready’ to kill your hopes and dreams. But when God stirs your soul you get juiced-up with a new vision for going from pre-lit to major hit.

The Madea winddown tour is set for next year. Perry believes it’s time to bring new things to life. That’s also true when the holiday season ends and the resolutions-rollout begins. When we hit the stage for the upcoming 2019 wind-up it’s a good time for ‘no more drama’ and celebrating a ‘new you, new woo.’

Tip: Going from pre-lit to major hit personally and professionally means you don’t stop ‘til you get enough skill, smarts, social and soul.

Wow, where did the summer go? It seems like yesterday that we were looking forward to being beach bums. With the Labor Day holiday behind us, it brings the unofficial end to the season of bikini bottoms and tank tops. While things might be winding down in one sense, it’s like back-to-the-grind in another.

When it comes to the tennis court Serena Williams returned to the game earlier this year after giving birth. She hopes to find championship form again. Tyler Perry did his Aretha tribute and offered Geoffrey Owens from Cosby Show fame, a chance to work at his studio. Owens has been hustling on-the-regular while hoping to do more acting gigs.

Beyond the baby feedings and series tapings, Williams and Perry show they’ve got ‘hustle love’ for money moves and making the daily grind matter. Every work situation has some ins & outs that come with the job. Plus there’re other things at play that might involve money, status & legacy.

Owens was surprised about all the attention he got in the news after being spotted working at a retail chain. He’s somewhat puzzled at how the dignity of work is being turned into ‘job shaming.’ That’s probably something Colin Kaepernick can relate to from not playing NFL football last season.

Whether it’s getting past ‘mom shaming,’ ‘job shaming’ or ‘issue shaming’ Williams and Perry are still making the daily grind matter. They’re taking care of business and the needs of family. Their ‘hustle love’ lessons remind us of what it means to ‘act like a player and think like a brand.’ It’s in how we manage:

Career jumps vs hustle moves

Years ago a workforce survey said that the 21st century worker will have difference job responsibilities across different careers during their working lifetime. That means that success isn’t always about vertical moves but sometimes horizontal moves. A side hustle can be your ticket to the big time.

Job shifts vs status updates

With Serena being off the circuit for a year or so her tennis ranking took a hit. Now she’s trying to work her way back to #1. Owens has been off the radar as well. In these days of social media status updates no one even knew. So a job shift from Perry that allows Owens to level-up his game is a good status update to have.

Vocation choices vs social places

Serena as a Brand Ambassador for Nike kinda has her own line of gear. She uses her celebrity status as a positive role model in many circles. She’s even included in the 50th-year anniversary campaign with video clips from her days in Compton. Her vocation choices put her in social places that’s heart-felt.

Life-assignments vs lifestyles

Not many jobs are a lifetime assignment. Plus the marketplace often has a ‘window of exposure’ that comes with the territory. Even as things change for Owens or others in the workforce or pro sports, it’s usually about going from job to career to vocation. We get to grow our game and raise our lifestyles.

Williams gets a lot out of her game and makes a living doing so. Perry gives a lot of his resources and makes a life for himself and others. Whether it’s about their brand or lifestyle they get the chance to drink to that. So we all can prove our worth and give it all we’ve got with ‘hustle love’ to make it happen.

Tip: Sometimes getting back-to-the-grind needs a fresh dose of ‘hustle love’ in order to make it happen where you have the chance to ‘drink to that’ as a work-in-progress.

Talkback: What’s it about Tyler’s work or Serena’s play that inspire us to make it happen?

Who was that little girl at the recent Art auction? The viral video showed Blue-Ivy Carter sitting with her celebrity parents Beyoncé and Jay-Z at a charity event. She placed a bid on a picture of Sidney Poitier that had folks laughing. It even caught Tyler Perry’s attention since he wanted to have that picture.

Perry told the story during media rounds for his upcoming movie Acrimony which stars Taraji P. Henson. The movie’s title turns out to be one of the most online-searched words this month. Perry teamed-up with Henson for this epic project because he envisioned her as the ‘black Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction.’

You can imagine what it was like filming this movie in eight days. Word has it that the universe was created in seven days so this project may be of epic proportions coming on the heels of Easter. Henson also returns to the TV screen as Cookie on Empire for which she’s still about doing big things.

What it takes to be epic is a story Perry and Henson know well. In the professional world it’s about knowing your ‘main thing’ and supporting it with your favorite ‘sides’ or side-hustle. Think of it the way you enjoy a meal. There’s the main thing you’re good at and the supporting side-skills to round-out the work.

Perry and Henson have used their talents to land bigger roles, raising their market appeal to a higher level. In addition to working with the OWN Network, Perry has signed production deals with other outlets. It’s like an alphabet soup of TBS, OWN and BET. Their inspiring stories are rich in the success mix of:

Faith for the next mountain to climb

Perry recently shared how the Black Panther movie was one of the many showbiz projects shot at his Atlanta studios. The site was an old military base that’s been transformed into ‘Hollywood South.’ How do you go from ‘dead to alive’ in any aspect of career, biz or life? Perry might say it takes mustard seed faith.

Passion for the next road to travel

There were times life presented Perry and Henson with options for the next road to travel. It might be a new project assignment, a new lane in business or a new lease on life. They’ve found the passion for the next road to travel and even for the road less travelled. That’s a choice people make to become epic.

Savvy for the next dollar to make

Perry shared how he was watching TV news and heard the word ‘acrimonious’ used in a certain context. He decided to look up the meaning. Then the light bulb went off in his head to put a different spin on the word for his movie title. Professional savvy is about using a skill or applying a concept in another context.

Smile for the next advice to give

Sometimes when comedians tell jokes they do it with a straight face. There’s a certain seriousness that adds to the punch line. There’re also times when the impact is best made with a smile. Perry and Henson have a way of doing the same when sharing their stories with a little advice thrown in for good measure.

Maybe that’s what was memorable about Blue-Ivy placing her bid. From the looks on her parents’ faces and hers as well, folks weren’t sure if she was serious or playing. But Perry had his mind made up. Like his Madea role, he was seriously-funny about getting his hands on the picture and landing it with a smile.

Tip: When it comes to doing big things in 3 days, 8 days or the rest of your days you might need a mix of faith, passion, savvy and a smile.

The end of year awards season is about to jump-off and it seems GQ Magazine got things rolling. They named Colin Kaepernick their Citizen of the Year. He’s been a trailblazer for social justice issues. There’s also Blake Shelton being named Sexiest Man Alive by People Magazine. Fans are spreading the love.

Tyler Perry and Jamie Foxx might find themselves on a different list. They’d at least get honorable mentions in discussions around Funniest Man Alive. A few other names might depend on the ‘type of funny’ category. Perry & Foxx certainly have cred as Hollywood high roller & Hollyhood high achiever.

They’ve been in the public eye for a while but for Perry the road to Tinsel-town wasn’t always a song and dance. He describes his story as one of always believing that Higher is Waiting. This mindset helped him in getting through the dark times, appreciating the good times and celebrating those high times.

It was more about chasing the dream than chasing the fame. This balancing act started with a showbiz project that kinda got them in the game. Some will remember Foxx from his In Living Color days. But for Perry it’s been a journey that got started with his urban-styled stage plays.

Some teary-eyed times are usually when talking about special people in their lives. For Foxx it was a grandmother who took care of him after adoption. With Perry there were folks who helped him connect his faith to hopes for a brighter future. They’re grateful for the advice and support they got along the way.

Their road to success was first nurtured by close family members or friends. But it seems there’re moments in life that are set aside on our journeys where people show up as strangers. Sometimes their presence is about getting to the next point. Other times it’s about getting the point in life’s journey.

It’s like when I first read the book of a famous media personality. It describes his journey of going from average kid to getting a Star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Two particular factors mentioned in the book related to certain aspects in my own journey. It’s the kind of thing that’s used as a bookmark of life.

Well if not as a bookmark then there’re those situations that are more like milestones. We appreciate milestone markers on a long road trip. One reason for those markers is letting us know where we are on the highway stretch. But another is to let us know how far we’ve travelled since the starting point.

Foxx and Perry are making the most of the journey by turning their bookmarks into a grander sense of purpose. They’re also turning milestones into ways for helping others get to the next point. That’s the balancing act they try to manage in chasing the dream without getting distracted by chasing the fame.

So let’s get back to the idea of Funniest Man Alive. In terms of being among the super funny, it probably takes having a certain punch to the flow of funny. Then the punch-line will be more than just scripted. Well in chasing the dream it takes having a certain punch to the flow of whatever makes us razzle dazzle.

Tip: In chasing the dream it takes having a certain punch to the flow of whatever makes us razzle & dazzle.

The pre rollout of TVs fall season line-up has some new shows and returning favorites. The promos for Empire and Star, Chicago Fire and The Voice are already in regular rotation. Most advertisers have probably been lined-up. There’re lots of fans who’re thinking ‘I can’t wait’ for things to get popping.

As announcements unfold, so too will word on the new iPhone. The buzz is building as Apple is set to unveil its new gizmo. When you think about today’s modern tech devices it boils down to whether they’re powered by Android, IOS or some other smart system. So what does it mean to be powered by ‘#Flow?’

It’s a question Tyler Perry and Tyra Banks help us answer from their showbiz journey. Perry’s mojo went from the ‘ashes to the stashes’ in becoming a major player. The nitty gritty of their career path and field of dreams is in how they’ve experienced flow as ‘fuller levels of wow’ moments in their Hollywood rise.

Perry’s story relates to everyday folks in a simple way. His was built around strong faith and inner resolve. I’ve seen that in my own life in what I like to describe as ‘4th down and 10’ wow moments. It’s where when your back’s against the wall, the big ‘G’o-d (original divine) sends a play that moves your dream along.

These days Tyra’s been hosting America’s Got Talent, a program that helps others achieve their showbiz dreams. She took over hosting duties after making a name and brand for herself on America’s Next Top Model. The factor both TV shows have in common is getting us to ask the question, ‘what makes you lit?’

Usually, the things that make us ‘lit’ are found in our gifts and talents. Plus, they also make us flow. For Tyra as a former model, beyond the physical beauty appeal, the thing that makes her lit is her presence. For Perry, the thing that makes him lit is his writing genius. These ‘lit factors’ keep serving them well.

Just think about the ‘lit factors’ in music, movies and mainstream culture and how flow plays a big part. So for example, whether it’s about sex, sports or success, we get our juices flowing from envisioning, practicing and performing our best moves. That’s where memories get made and dreams get paid.

For Perry, he tells the story of producing his first stage play where nobody showed up. He could have decided to shut down his dream but didn’t because of his faith and resolve. He went back at it a few more times with similar results. Fast forward to things today and we see the outcome and wisdom he’s gained.

As if to remind me of my own career path and field of dreams, I’ve seen some of those moments too. I’ve held events at venues where no one showed. I’ve been using my gift for years writing blogs where no one talks back. But these experiences have helped me find flow from faith to lit to outcome to wisdom.

Among the moments of hit or miss, win or loss there’re those exciting times in ‘fuller levels of wow.’ The wisdom gained has helped me see flow similar to how Perry & Tyra might tell it. Whether on the career path or field of dreams, it’s about experiencing moments of bliss on the road to a life of happiness.

Tip: A new season of success on the career path or field of dreams means envisioning, practicing and performing your best moves with your juices flowing in the grooves.

Talkback: What does it take to improve your ‘lit factor’ in order to experience fuller levels of wow moments?

This production of “Wise-up Wednesdays” Blogcast by Douette ‘Doc’ Cunningham is a presentation in “social media entertainment from the groove-track of life!” #WUWECAST

LOL Tube – Got Funny?

Theme:– “The Year of ‘Flashlighting’ – Get Seen!”A New Way to Shine with Highlights, Insights and Media-bites that’s Exciting (Old-School Flava)

Madea is back in the building with the movie Boo. The tough-nosed, rabble-rousing character played by Tyler Perry returned to the silver screen. The show led weekend box office numbers yet again. Perry and Gabrielle Union are turning heads in Hollywood. He keeps surprising critics while she makes it look easy.

Appearing on the cover of Essence Magazine, Union talks about “Living your best life, taking control and rising above the drama.” These words could just as well describe Perry. They know a few things that ‘big timers’ never stop doing to toast it up. They’ve gone from rags to riches or rags to real and then top notch.

For Perry it’s been a matter of ‘never stop believing’ based on the blessings he’s been receiving. He didn’t become a writer, director, producer, or actor by accident. He remembers spending a lot of time working on his hidden gifts. Over the years, doors have opened up like a video game’s reveal of hidden rewards.

They keep moving up the charts by being students of the game. They never stop learning about their craft or taking new strides. Somehow they’ve figured-out how to ‘make it do what it do’ with different roles and goals. These moves take us to a place where stars are born, dreams are made and passion gets played.

Talk about mindset, skill-set and jet-set, they’ve got it all. That’s why they’ll never stop twerking (well, that’s Madea talking). Perry recently bought an old Army Base to do more movie shoots. He might say he’ll never stop flexing his cred. Just like new stuff about to drop, flexing is how they make things pop.

Theme:– “The Year of ‘Flashlighting’ – Get Seen!”A New Way to Shine With Highlights, Insights and Media-bites that’s Exciting (New-School Flava)

Looks like Madea ready to come thru. Back in the building with movie Boo. Tough-nosed, rabble-rousing grandma. Returning to silver screen panorama. High box office numbers yet again. Leading list of top ten. Perry and Gabrielle Union turn Hollywood heads. He surprising critics, she looking fine on cover spread.

On Essence shoot she sounds like Obama. “Living best life, taking control, rising above drama.” Words for how Perry makes things stick. And reasons why they’re a solid pick. Few things ‘big timers’ never stop doing. To toast it up and be booming. Whether rags to riches or rags to real. Top notch in look and feel.

Perry’s takes is ‘never stop believing.’ Based on blessings he’s been receiving. A writer, director, producer, actor. Not by accident but by X-factor. Spent lots of time working on hidden asset. Turning nothing into a major facet. As doors opened he took award. Like a video game reveal of hidden reward.

Moving-up the charts as students of the game. Better as they go in fortune and fame. Learning the craft taking new strides. Sitting pretty in their luxury rides. Showing how to ‘make it do what it do.’ With different roles goals and wider view. Where stars are born, dreams made. Things jump-off, passion gets played.

Talk about mindset, skill-set and jet-set. They’ve got it all, you bet. To never stop twerking along the way. Sounds like something Madea would say. With old Army Base added to his stable. He’ll never stop being willing and credible. Just like new stuff about to drop. Flexing is how they make things pop.

Tip: Texting might be good for shooting the breeze but flexing your cred is good for boosting your fees.

Talkback: How are Tyler Perry and Gabrielle Union turning heads in Hollywood or ‘Hollyhood’?